STEMsational
The spotlight is currently shining on STEM right now. If you’re not familiar, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math – four areas that educators and employment professionals are pushing for young people to take an active interest in, particularly women and other minorities that have shied away from getting into these areas in the past. One strategy? Get ’em interested in early. Today I’m highlighting a collection of toys that tap into one or more of the STEM sectors.
Sector 18 Game – $35 @ Discovery Toys
First up, a fun and challenging game to build up your child’s math skills. The premise is pretty simple. Roll three dice and figure out all of the mathematical combinations you can use – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division – to cover up the numbers in your sector (or a competitor’s sector). For example, rolling 1, 3, and 5 could let you cover up 3, 4, 5, 8, 15. The game is quick to learn and addictive to play, making it a great choice for all ages.
Goldie Blox and The Builder’s Survival Kit – $59.99 @ Amazon.ca
The Goldie Blox series of toys are literally designed with STEM in mind and are generally targeted toward girls. This latest set is designed for kids aged 7-12 and encourages them to take an interest in mechanical engineering. Like all Goldie Blox products it includes a story to help activate your child’s imagination and make them more engaged in the building activities. There’s 190 pieces in this massive set, and as the kids read Goldie’s journal, they’ll be inspired to create several different quirky inventions, from a drum set to a dog house to a spinning tea cup ride. It’s a great kit that packs in hours of fun – and years of learning!
Lab in a Bag Test Tube Discoveries Kit – $24.99 @ Scholar’s Choice
For the budding Einstein in your household, this fun kit encourages them to take an active interest in chemistry. Kids will take an active hand in 20 different activities, from growing fake ice to creating garbled marbles and more. Not only will they undertake the experiments, the kit explains the science (or magic) behind each one, so they’ll learn while they’re playing.
littleBits Synth Kit – $189 @ Robot Shop
This is one of many items produced by littleBits, which specializes in analog-style tech to give kids a hands-on experience with the same technology they love to use to play games or browse the internet. Their various kits do different things, this one turns into an 80s-sounding synthesizer that can be wired into a range of products, whether a keytar, a turntable or one of the other projects highlighted on the littleBits site. I’d recommend this set for older kids – at least in their teens – but you can always team up with a little one to help them get the hang of it.
Wonder Workshop Dash and Dot Robot Pack – $289.95 @ BuyaPi.ca
What kid wouldn’t want their own robot? Now they can have two of ’em, with this cute set of interactive, programmable robots that grow up right alongside your kids. These cool robots teach children the basics of programming and the fact that computers aren’t really much of anything without our human brain power telling them what to do. It’s easy to get engaged off the hop with a basic proprietary coding system your kids will use to customize their robots’ behaviours, but as they grow older they can learn to create more complex algorithms and interactions. It’s an ambitious choice to be sure, but one that’ll reward your kids in the long-term by giving them an appreciation for computers and technology at a young age.
Magformers Magnets in Motion Sets – From $14.99
If your child has an interest in building toys – which help develop dexterity, spacial intelligence, and yes, engineering skills – then they’ll definitely want to check out Magformers. These building toys are ultra sturdy and can be connected in infinite ways to create towering structures or smaller components. One of their newer innovations are Magnets in Motion kits, which include a rechargeable power generator to give your creations some mechanical movements, lights, and power. The kits range in size and price from $14.99 USD for an accessory expansion kit to their base lines, all the way up to $179.99 for a massive set of over 80 pieces. No matter which collection you choose, the Magformers Magnets in Motion sets can be used in tandem with your existing Magformers collections, which themselves come in a massive range of colours, functions, and special features. It’s a cool way to get kids engaged in building something with their own two hands, and using technology in a very different, interactive way.
The Magformers Magnets in Motion 22-piece kit you see in the photo above can be found in Canada for about $79 – but I’m giving away one for free here on the Canadian Gift Guide. If you’d like to win it, here’s how to enter:
1) First of all! You must be a Canadian Gift Guide subscriber to enter this giveaway. Just find the ‘Gift of Gab’ box on the righthand side of this page and either hit ‘Follow’ or enter your email address. Once you’ve done that, leave a comment below telling me what your favourite STEM toy featured in this post is, AND what your favourite kit is from the Magformers website. You have until June 18, 2015.
2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around June 19, 2015 to select the winner(s), who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.
3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible for this promotion.
4) Bonus Entry: There’s a few ways to rack them up. For each bonus entry, visit the Magformers social account and interact with them (by leaving a comment on their page / Tweeting, etc.) Then link back to your social interaction (i.e to your Tweet, pin or wall post) in a separate comment per bonus entry.
Twitter – Follow and Retweet
Facebook – Like and Leave a Wall Post
Pinterest – Follow and Repin
Canadian Gift Guide 
My favourite STEM toy is the Sector 18 game because all ages can play. I like the Magformers Challenger Set.
I like the SuperBrain set.
Great products! I like the SuperBrain kit.
robot pack
I like the little bits synth kit and the landmark set from the site
My grandkids are both competitive, love games and would really enjoy the Sector 18 Game. I also like the Super Brain set.
I like the builders survival kit. I don’t know the names of any of the kids.
My fav. is the lab in a bag test tubes-they look like they would be fun for the kids
My favourite is the GoldieBlox Builders Survival Kit as I know my 8-year-old niece would love it. I would choose the Magformers Magnets in Motion 83 piece set as it allows so many combinations of play and discovery. http://www.magformers.com/shop.html
The Sector 18 Game is my choice
I like the Sector 18 game and the Magnets in Motion – 22 piece kit from the website! These educational toys would be great for my grandchildren – thank you!
Sector 18 Game is pretty awesome. As for what set…RC Custom Set would be most enjoyed by my eldest nephew.
I love the Wonder Workshop Dash and Dot Robot Pack. I also would love to have the Super Brain Kit.
I think the Sector 18 game looks like a lot of fun! From the website, I love the Magnets in Motion sets (maybe a higher piece count one, e.g. 83 piece?)!
Retweeted, and tweeted my own: https://twitter.com/RachelCartwrig6/status/603283392256471043
Repinned: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/456341374720055161/
I’m a Canadian Gift Guide subscriber. My favourite STEM toy featured in this post is Sector 18 Game – $35 @ Discovery Toys & my favourite kit from the Magformers website is Magnets in Motion 32 Piece Gear Set
@MAGFORMERSLLC bonus entry: Followed & tweeted https://twitter.com/SoulSeeker0/status/603332478024159232
My fave toy from this blog is Lab in a Bag Test Tube Discoveries Kit –
from the shop I like the Power Construction Set
I like the Goldie Blox and The Builder’s Survival Kit from this post and the Inspire 30 Piece Set from the website.
I love the magnets in motion set and also like the Magformers construction set! Our kids would love either.
I really like the Lab in a Bag Test Tube Discoveries Kit.
And I also really like the Super Brain Set.
My favorite STEM toy featured here is the Magformers Magnets in Motion. My favorite Magformers set from their site is the Super Magformers 30 Piece set!
I love the goldie blox builder’s survival kit from this post and the Magnets in Motion from the website
I like the Goldie Blox & the Builder’s Survival Kit, but the Magformers is more age appropriate for my daughter. The Magnets in Motion from the website is pretty cool!
Of all the things you had in your list, I think the Sector 18 Game is my favourite. The Super Brain set from Magformers looks pretty good!
my favorite is the Goldiblox – the Super Brain Magformers loot AMAZING!
lab in a bag test tubes
Sector 18 used to be called 1-2-3 Go or something like that–my mom was a Discovery Toys manager. So that’s an easy pic.
I love Magformers, esp the super brain sets!
I like the lab in a bag test tube kit because my daughter is really into doing science experiments. I saw the Magformers “Landmarks” kit on their site and it looks so impressive! Thanks for this great giveaway.
SECTOR 18 LOOKS VERY COOL AND MY SON WOULD LOVE THE MAGFORMERS CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE SET~~
my favorite magforner is Magnets in Motion 83 Piece Power Set and i love the Goldie Blox and The Builder’s Survival Kit
Fb wall post(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));
Just subscribed. My favourite STEM toy featured in this post is Magnets in Motion, AND my favourite kit is from the Magformers website is the Smart set.
My favorite review from the post is about the Magformers. The set on the magformer site that I like the best is the the Landmark Set.
My fave STEM toy is the Sector 18 and favorite kit is XL Cruisers car set
My son would love the Magformers first the the test tube experiments
Sector 18 game looks great…..my son would love the Magformers
My favourite STEM toy is the Sector 18 and I like the Classic 62 Piece kit.
My favourite is the GoldieBlox Builders Survival Kit
favourite is the GoldieBlox Builders Survival Kit
I love the lab set. Real cool.
My favourite STEM toy is Sector 18.
I like the rainbow 30piece kit as it’s a great starter kit.
I love the Goldie Blox and The Builder’s Survival Kit. I wish there had been stuff like that when I was a kid! I really like the Landmark set from Magformers.
I like the Magformers Magnets in Motion Sets from this post,,my nephews would love that! I also love the SUPER BRAIN SET from the site,,so cool!
I follow them on pinterest and pinned
I like the Sector 18 game.
My kids would love the Magformers and their fav product is Magnets in Motion 83 Piece Power Set
I am a subscriber. My fave STEM idea is the Magformers. My kindergarten students have been requesting them. My fave set is the XL cruisers car set.
I think the littleBits Synth Kit is really cool! And the Magformers Light Show too!
Followed & pinned on Pinterest!
Liked & commented on Facebook 😉
I like the test tube discoveries and the XL cruisers cars set.
I like the Test Tube Discoveries & Magnets in Motion kits
I love the Magnets in Motion 83 Piece Power Set!
I also like the Goldie Blox and The Builder’s Survival Kit from this post.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/VictoriaEss2/status/605048401839984640
Pinned: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/106116134946598799/
I am a Canadian Gift Guide subscriber. My favourite STEM toy featured in this post is the Wonder Workshop Dash and Dot Rotot Pack. My favourite kit from the Magformers website is the Magnets in Motion 83 Piece Power Set.
MY favorite STEM toy is the Magformers set. From the Magformers site, my favorite set is the Carnival set. SO many great shapes and options to build!
My favourite STEM toy is the Goldie Blocks Building Kit, and I think the Magformers Challenger Set is neat.
The Magformers looks like it would be fun…and the Classic 30 piece set looks interesting on the Magformers website
I like Lab in a Bag Test Tube Discoveries Kit and Magnets in Motion 61 Pieces
Lab in a bag set and magnets in motion 61 pieces
The Carnival Set